
6th Circuit Backs Defense in Fidelity Freedom Funds ERISA Suit
One expert who works on the fiduciary insurance side of the retirement plan industry calls the appellate ruling ‘the best decision ever written in an excessive fee case,’ and one which could dissuade other plaintiffs in similar cases.
Passive Investing Has Performed Well, Even During COVID Crisis
In 15 out of the 18 categories of domestic equity funds considered, S&P Dow Jones Indices finds the majority of actively managed funds underperformed their benchmarks during the year that ended June 30th.

Weighing Active Management in DC Plans
Experts continue the debate about actively managed funds in light of a publication from the CFA Institute Research Foundation which asks, ‘Is active management worth it?’
Active vs. Passive Strategies

Are Your Clients Carrying Uncompensated Risk Into 2021?

Salesforce Ruling Offers Key Lessons About Revenue Sharing, Fee Litigation
Latest ERISA Class Action Suit Echoes Many Others
The proposed class action lawsuit against TriNet HR follows the same template as numerous others filed by the law firm Capozzi Adler.
Media Company Latest to Face Legal Scrutiny Over Fidelity Freedom Funds
The case is yet another example of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation to question the use of actively managed default investments.
Consider How CITs Can Fit Into Your Practice

A Case for Both

Protection During Downturns
Excessive Recordkeeping Fees Cited in Oshkosh ERISA Challenge
The lawsuit points to a variety of alleged fiduciary breaches related to the Oshkosh Corp.’s retirement plan’s investment and recordkeeping fees.

A New World and New Opportunities for Alpha
The Case for ‘Blend’ TDFs
PIMCO says that rather than go with an all-actively managed target-date fund (TDF) or an all-passively managed TDF, a mix of the two makes sense—and that there is particular logic to assigning the fixed income portion of the portfolio to active management due to outperformance.
With New ‘Sensible Fees,’ Westwood Seeks Active Fund Disruption
According to the firm, “Sensible Fees” funds will enable investors to pay a low index or ETF-like base fee—only seeing a higher active management fee when fund performance objectives exceed the benchmark.
Considering International Investments in Times of Market Volatility
Investment experts remind retirement investors that international investments can help to diversify a portfolio
403(b) Plan Sponsors Reveal Investment Preferences in Survey
Plan advisers can help 403(b) plan sponsors looking for downside protection, active strategies and target-date funds (TDFs) that can be used as a decumulation vehicle in retirement.

Equity Factor Investing

Investment Product and Service Launches
intellicents builds active management feature to adviser platform and Hartford Funds releases multifactor mutual funds.
Target-Date Solutions Reach $1.77 Trillion in Assets
CIT-based solutions grew, while mutual fund-based solutions declined in 2018, according to Sway Research.